平补而润
甘平（《本草》苦寒）。润肺清肝，滋肾益气，生精助阳，补虚劳，强筋骨（肝主筋，肾
主骨），去风明目（目为肝窍，瞳子属肾），利大小肠。治嗌干消渴（昂按∶古谚有云，出家
千里，勿食枸杞。其色赤属火，能补精壮阳。然气味甘寒而性润，仍是补水之药，所以能滋
肾、益肝、明目而治消渴也）。
南方树高数尺，北方并是大树。以甘州所产、红润少核者良。酒浸捣用。根名地骨皮（
见下）。
叶，名天精草，苦甘而凉。清上焦心、肺客热，代茶止消渴（时珍曰∶皆三焦气分之药）。
泻热凉血，补正气
甘淡而寒。降肺中伏火，泻肝、肾虚热，能凉血而补正气。
内治五内邪热（热淫于内，治以甘寒。地骨一斤，生地五斤，酒煮服，治带下），吐血
尿血（捣鲜汁服），咳嗽消渴（清肺）。外治肌热虚汗，上除头风痛（能除风者，肝、肾同治
也。
肝有热，则自生风，与外感之风不同，热退则风自息），中平胸胁痛（清肝），下利大、
小肠。疗在表无定之风邪，传尸，有汗之骨蒸（李东垣曰∶地为阴，骨为里，皮为表。地骨
皮泻肾火，牡丹皮泻包络火，总治热在外，无汗而骨蒸。知母泻肾火，治热在内有汗而骨蒸。
四物汤加二皮，治妇人骨蒸。朱二允曰∶能退内潮，人所知也；能退外潮，人实不知。病或
风寒散而未尽，作潮往来，非柴、葛所能治，用地骨皮走表又走里之药，消其浮游之邪，服
之未有不愈者，特表明之。时珍曰∶枸杞、地骨，甘寒平补，使精气充足，则邪火自退。世
人多用苦寒，以芩、连降上焦，知、柏降下焦，致伤元气惜哉！予尝青蒿佐地骨退热，累有
殊功）。
甘草水浸一宿用（肠滑者，忌枸杞子。中寒者，忌地骨皮。掘鲜者同鲜小蓟煎浓汁，浸
下疳甚效）。
Lycii Fructus (Gouqizi) has a mild tonic nature and is moistening.
Sweet and neutral in taste and temperature (Bencao records it as bitter and cold). It moistens the lungs, clears the liver, nourishes the kidneys, benefits qi, generates essence, assists yang, tonifies deficiency and fatigue, strengthens sinews and bones (the Liver governs sinews, the Kidneys govern bones), dispels wind and brightens the eyes (the eyes are the orifices of the Liver, the pupils belong to the Kidneys), and promotes the free flow of the large and small intestines. It treats dry throat and Xiao Ke (wasting-thirst syndrome) (Wang Ang's note: An old proverb says, "Traveling a thousand miles from home, do not eat Gouqi." Its red color corresponds to Fire, and it can tonify essence and strengthen Yang. However, its aroma and flavor are sweet and cold with a moistening nature, making it essentially a water-nourishing herb; thus, it can nourish the Kidneys, benefit the Liver, brighten the eyes, and treat Xiao Ke).
In the south, the Lycium tree grows several chi high; in the north, they are mostly large trees. The best quality comes from Ganzhou, Gansu, characterized by a ruddy-red color and few seeds. Soak in wine and crush before use. The root is named Digupi (see below).
The leaves are named Tianjing Cao, bitter and sweet in taste, cool in nature. They clear latent heat in the Upper Jiao affecting the Heart and Lungs, and when used as tea, they stop wasting-thirst (Li Shizhen stated: These are all herbs for the Qi aspect of the Triple Burner).
Digupi clears heat, cools blood, and tonifies righteous qi.
Sweet, bland, and cold in nature. It descends latent fire in the Lungs, drains deficient heat from the Liver and Kidneys, cools blood, and tonifies righteous qi.
Internally, it treats evil heat in the five zang organs (When heat dominates internally, treat with sweet and cold methods. One jin of Digupi and five jin of Shengdi, boiled in wine and taken, treat leukorrhea); hematemesis and hematuria (crush fresh juice and take); cough and wasting-thirst (clears the Lungs). Externally, it treats surface heat and spontaneous sweating, removes upper head wind-pain (The mechanism of dispelling wind lies in treating both the Liver and Kidneys simultaneously. When the Liver has heat, it generates internal wind, which differs from external contracted wind; when heat subsides, wind naturally ceases), pacifies middle chest and hypochondriac pain (clears the Liver), and promotes the lower large and small intestines. It treats wind-pathogens wandering on the exterior without fixed location, Chuanshi tuberculosis, and bone-steaming tidal fever with sweating (Li Dongyuan said: Earth represents Yin, Bone represents the interior, and Skin represents the exterior. Digupi drains Kidney fire, while Mudanpi pericardium fire, collectively treating heat outside the body with no sweat and bone-steaming. Zhimu drains Kidney fire, treating heat inside the body with sweat and bone-steaming. Siwu Tang added with these two barks treats women's bone-steaming. Zhu Eryun said: People know it can retreat internal tidal fever; what people truly do not know is that it can also retreat external tidal fever. If the condition arises because Wind-Cold has dispersed but not completely, causing alternating tidal fever, this cannot be treated by Chaihu or Gegen. Using Digupi, an herb that travels both the exterior and interior, eliminates floating pathogenic factors; there is no case where it fails to cure. I hereby clarify this. Li Shizhen said: Gouqi and Digupi are sweet, cold, and mildly tonic; when essence and qi are sufficient, evil fire naturally recedes. The world often uses bitter-cold herbs, using Huangqin and Huanglian to descend Upper Jiao fire, and Zhi Mu and Huangbai to descend Lower Jiao fire, thereby damaging Yuan Qi. What a pity! I once used Qinghao to assist Digupi in reducing fever, achieving remarkable results repeatedly).
Soak in water with Gancao for one night before use (Those with loose stools should avoid Gouqi. Those with Middle Cold should avoid Digupi. Freshly dug Digupi decocted with fresh Xiaojiji into a thick juice, used for soaking, is very effective for under-groin sores).